Refrigeration apparatus



Dec. 19,1944. E. s. WEGMAN REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1942 v 'INVENTOR EVERT' 5; WEGMRN WITNESSES:

ATI'O EY- Patented Dec. 19, 1944 2,365,231 REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Evert S. Wegman, East Longmeadow, Mesa, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corpo- UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca ration of Pennsylvania Application April 15, 1942, Serial No. 439,009 3.Claims. (01.220-9) This invention relates to refrigerator cabinet construction and more especially to the cover structure of such a cabinet.

Itis an object of this invention to provide an efilcient sealing gasket for a removable cover of a top opening refrigerator cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a double sealing gasket for a cover of a refrigerator cabinet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means of mounting a sealing gasket on a refrigerator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel hinge construction for a hinged cover of a refrigerator cabinet.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the cover construction ofthis invention;

Fig. 2 is-a sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of Fi 1.

Referring to the drawing for a description of the invention, the reference numeral l designates the cabinet of a dry cooler for packaged beverages. The air in this cooler is forcibly circulated to rapidly cool the packaged beverages in the cabinet. The cabinet comprises an outer metal shell II and an inner metal liner l2 spaced from the outer shell II. The upper edge portion of the outer shell is turned inwardly to overlie the upper edge of the inner shell II and is then bent downwardly to lie parallel to but spaced from the side walls of the inner shell. A strip of sponge rubber I4 is interposed between the upper' I edge of the liner l2 and theintumed portion of the outer shell II to close the wall structure of the cabinet l0 and to provide a heat breaker strip between the outer shell I I and the inner liner l2. The space between the inner liner l2 and the outer shell II is filled with loose heat-insulating- 2| faces inwardly in the opening l5 of thecabinet ill to lie with its back against the downturned flange I3 of the outer shell II. The tubular portion 2| is provided with a hook-like flange 23 which fastens around the lower edge of the flange l3 to hold the tubular portion 2| in position. The flange 23 is spaced from the inner 'liner I2. The tubular portion 2| is thus heldin place at one edge by the hook-like flange and at the other edge by the web 22.

The cover 26 comprises a metal top plate 21, the outer edge 29 of which is crlmped about a horizontally-extending flange 3| of a frame member 32. The frame member 32 also comprises a flange 33 which extends diagonally downward and which, at its extremities, is secured by means of a sheet metal screw 34 to the upper edge of diagonal heat breaker strips 36. The lower edges of the heat breaker strips 36' are secured by sheet metal screws 31.150 the edges 38 of an upwardlydished metal plate 39 which forms the bottom of the cover 23. Loose heat-insulating material 4| is packed between the top plate 21 andthe lower metal plate 39 of the cover 26.

The intumed edge .28 on-the cover 26 rests on the tubular portion I! of the gasket l3 and the diagonal breaker strip 36 bearsagainst the tubular portion 2|. Both the tubular portions l1 and 2| seal the joint between the cabinet l0 and the cover 26. The tubular portion l1 bears the weight of the cover and the tubular portion 2i prevents sidewardly movement of the cover 26 with respect to the cabinet l0. Both the tubular portions l1 and 2| prevent direct contact be-- tween the cover 26 and the metal walls of the cabinet Hi.

The sealing properties of the'cover gaskets of a cabinet in which the air is forcibly circulated must be good because the circulating air sweeps along the Joints between the cover and the cabinet and may cause 'a large heat leakage if the sealing gasket is not properlydesigned. The

of the top plate 21 adjacent to the hinged edge is bent downwardly at right angles to the top plate 21 to form a flange 33. The edge portion of the lower plate 33 adjacent to the hinsed edge is bent upwardly in like manner to form a flange 41 which lies adjacent to the flange 48 and partially overlaps the same. 'A flange 49 of a sealing gasket 5| is interposed between the overlapping portion of flanges 46 and 41. The flange 49 extends downwardly along the flange 41 below the overlapping portion of the flange 46 and at this pointis provided with an arcuate wall 52 which forms a tubular portion 55 with the downward extension of the flange 49.

One of the plates 53 of the hinge 44 lies adjacent the flange 46 of the top plate 21. The plate 53 and the flanges 4B, 41 and 48 are ecured together by means of a screw 54 which engages a metal strip 56 located adjacent the flange 41. Each of the parts 42 and 43 of the cover 48 is of identical construction and part 43 is secured to the hinge plate 51 of the hinge 44 in the same manner as described in connection with plate 53 and part 42. When the two cover portions 42 and 43 are extended to their closing position on the cabinet It, the two 'arcuate walls 52 of the gaskets 5! on each part of the cover contact one another to seal the joint between the two parts 42 and 43 of the cover 28.

It will be apparent from the above that this invention provides eflicient sealing gaskets for a completely removable cover for a top opening refrigerator cabinet and that the invention provides novel means for mounting the sealing gaskets on the refrigerator and cover. It will be further apparent that the invention provides a novel sealing hinge structure for a cover of a refrigerator cabinet.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without dcparting from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A gasket strip and mounting thereof to a refrigerator cabinet, said cabinet comprising a vertical wall defining a storage compartment and an access opening at the top thereof, said wall including an outer shell shaped to provide a substantially horizontal portion peripherally of the access opening and a turned-down flange at the inner extremity of said horizontal portion spaced from said wall toward the interior of said storage compartment, said gasket strip comprising a. re-

silient continuous head, a second resilient continuous bead joined edge to edge to said firstnamed bead, and a continuous hook element joined edge to edge to said second bead, said gasket being secured to said cabinet by engagement of said hook element with the lower edge of said flang and by means securing said first-named bead to said substantially horizontal portion of the outer shell.

2. A gasket strip and mounting thereof to a refrigerator cabinet, said cabinet having an access opening at the top and comprising an inne liner',-a sheet metal outer shell formed to proE vide a substantially horizontal portion adjacen. the access opening, said portion extending over and beyond the inner liner, a down-turned flange on the inner edge of said portion of the outer shell, said flange being spaced from the inner liner and overlapping the same, said gasket strip comprising a resilient continuous head, a second resilient continuous bead jolned edge to edge to said first-named bead, and a continuous hook element joined edge to edge to said second bead, said gasket being secured to said cabinet by engagement of said hook element with the lower edge of said flange and by securement of said firstnamed bead to said substantially horizontal portion.

3. In a refrigerator cabinet having an access opening at the top, an inner liner, an outer shell formed to provide a substantially horizontal portion adjacent the access opening, said portion extending over and beyond th inner liner, and a down-turned flange on the inner edge of said portion of the outer shell, said flange being spaced from the inner liner, the combination of a gasket strip comprising a first resilient continuous bead,

' a second resilient continuous bead joined edge to edge to the first head, a continuous hook element joined edge to edge to said second edge, said gasket being secured to said cabinet by engagement of said hook element with the lower edge of said'flangeand by securement of said first bead to said substantially horizontal portion, and a cover for said access opening, said cover resting in sealing engagement on said first bead, said cover also having a portion adapted to extend into said access opening when the cover closes said opening, said portion having an inclined surface adapted to progressively engage said second bead as the cover is placed on said opening.

EVERT S. WEGMAN 

